CJ ONE to Sell 3,000 NFTs for New Membership Service

Nomura-Backed Digital Exchange Acquires Trading License in DubaiKomainu, a digital exchange backed by Japanese financial services conglomerate Nomura, has achieved the milestone of acquiring an operational license in Dubai.The occasion marks a significant moment for Komainu’s expansion efforts in the Middle East, highlighting the progress the company has made in terms of regulatory approval. It follows Komainu’s previous success in obtaining its MVP license in November 2022, establishing the company as one of the first entities to receive such authorization from the local regulator.The operational license was granted by Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) on Friday, with the firm being added to the regulator’s virtual asset service provider register.Photo by Emma Harrisova on UnsplashEnabling a broader service offeringWith this operational license in hand, Komainu is now equipped to introduce extended institutional staking and collateral management services to clients within Dubai. These services will be facilitated through Komainu Connect, a purpose-built platform tailored to cater to the precise needs of institutional clients.While Komainu is a Jersey-based entity, the company has an active presence in the Dubai market as it has established subsidiary firm Komainu MEA FZE, which is based within the city. This local presence indicates Komainu’s intention to play an active role in the institutional digital asset business in the region.Dubai growth potentialSebastian Widmann, Head of Strategy at Komainu, emphasized the exciting growth prospects that Dubai’s flourishing digital asset ecosystem offers. He noted that the region is currently experiencing an influx of assets driven by the launch of new exchanges.Widmann stated: “Dubai has a vibrant digital asset ecosystem and impressive talent pool, and we are proud to contribute to the growth of this innovative financial hub.” He further emphasized that Komainu’s presence and its favorable regulatory status position the company uniquely as it embarks on the next phase of its business journey.It’s been a good month for Nomura-backed digital asset businesses in Dubai. A few weeks ago, another Nomura-funded company, Laser Digital Middle East FZE, was also successful in acquiring an operating license from VARA.VARA’s approach to crafting regulations has been instrumental in fostering a framework that supports permissible activities and services for customers and investors in Dubai. These regulations are designed to enhance clarity, establish certainty, and mitigate potential market risks. VARA’s overarching objective is to create a model framework that promotes both global economic sustainability and innovation.Bridging market gapFounded in 2018, Komainu’s inception was driven by the need to bridge a gap in the market by delivering secure and compliant custody services for institutional players venturing into digital asset investments.Komainu’s foundation is built upon a strategic joint venture involving prominent entities such as Nomura, CoinShares, and Ledger. It acquired its first client for Komainu Connect, the firm’s regulated settlement and custody system for institutions, in June when it signed up Seychelles-based crypto exchange OKX to the service.Headquartered in Jersey, the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) and Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) now provide regulatory governance where Komainu’s activities are concerned.

Korea’s DAXA Prohibits Relisting of Delisted Cryptos for a YearThe Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA) in Korea will prohibit the relisting of cryptocurrencies delisted from its member exchanges for a year, according to Korean media outlet Edaily.©Pexels/Jan van der WolfDAXA’s arbitrary regulationSome criticize this regulation, arbitrarily created by DAXA, which consists of five major Korean cryptocurrency exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax), as this rule poses a significant impact on crypto issuers and investors.In fact, a blockchain industry insider said that when cryptos are designated by DAXA as a risky asset, their operators receive a notification from the group that relisting is possible after a year once delisted. So far, assets that have been delisted or designated as such are WEMIX, PCI, BASIC, SRM, and OMG.Coinone’s relisting of WEMIXDAXA added this stipulation, as it faced criticism for the absence of relisting regulations in its guidelines when Coinone, one of its members, exclusively relisted the WEMIX token. This raised doubts about the self-regulation of the industry because DAXA had decided the delisting of WEMIX on the grounds that the information on its circulation supply was unreliable.Crypto enterprises are complaining about DAXA’s devising of strict penalties when delisting processes are not transparent. DAXA has stated that a consensus has been reached for the first draft and it will be continuously revised.Stronger DAXA presenceThe Korean crypto industry forecasts that this regulation will empower DAXA’s presence in the crypto scene, considering that its members are responsible for 98% of the domestic trading volume.Experts note that DAXA needs to establish fairness and transparency in order for it to gain trust as a self-regulatory body. Park Yong-beom, Chairman of the Korea Society of Blockchain, said rules on listing and delisting have to be fair and transparent, and if market participants find them unconvincing, it would undermine the credibility and authority of the self-regulatory body.In an interview with Economic Review, Former KB Kookmin Bank CEO Lee Kun-ho suggested that DAXA should prioritize market vitalization and ecosystem strengthening. He believes that instead of focusing on market management and supervision, DAXA should concentrate on enhancing investor protection.

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Flybit, which is operated by the Korean Fintech Industry Association, has passed the post-audit for its Information Security and Privacy Management System certification (ISMS-P), according to local news website News1 on Wednesday (KST).Photo by FlyD on UnsplashRigorous certification standardsThe ISMS-P is a security management system jointly operated by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT and the Personal Information Protection Commission, representing the highest level of security management in the country. It combines 80 requirements for Information Security Management System (ISMS) certification and 22 requirements for Personal Information Management System (PIMS) certification, totaling 102 requirements that must be met. Once obtained, certification is valid for three years, and annual post-audits are required to maintain its validity. Flybit’s commitment to security"Cryptocurrency exchanges are businesses that manage customers' valuable assets. All Flybit members approach their work by recognizing the fact that the protection of personal information is our most important value,” the exchange said. "We will continually strive to maintain security accidents since the establishment of the exchange." Flybit first obtained the ISMS certification in December 2020 and the ISMS-P certification two years later in December 2022. The most recent ISMS-P follow-up audit was conducted last month. After a thorough examination, the results of the audit were delivered by the Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) on Dec. 12, which stated that the exchange could maintain its certification. In October last year, the firm also received the highest rating in the comprehensive anti-money laundering (AML) evaluation conducted annually by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under the Financial Services Commission.